Fear: The Whole Point of Halloween
by Radical.2
Summary: "I'm not scared," Hermione tells me. Correction: She is not scared of my costume. However, she is slightly frightened of me, how it's dark. How our arms brush every few moments. How we're completely and utterly by ourselves. Alone.


**Written for the Halloween Competition by Zombie Reine.**

I look like a total, complete idiot, and that is the truth.

For one thing, it is Halloween.

I am not partying in the common room, or even stuffing myself in the great hall.

No, I am parading through the seemingly empty library, quite paranoid.

Of course, who wouldn't be, when you are dressed as a _girl_.

And, of course, not just any girl. Not even a simple, scummy muggle girl.

I am a muggle horror story in person- Frankenstein's Bride.

No, she doesn't even have a name, she is just associated with the other guy.

How depressing. Sucks for her, I guess.

I have been dared, this year, by none other than Blaise Zabini, to do this.

Thankfully, no one is stupid enough to read at a library during a feast.

I just have to walk around this whole thing, and then I'm done.

And, of course again, there's no way out of this.

I made a drunken Unbreakable Vow, as Blaise often takes advantage of drunk people like that.

I only have to get through here, and I'm thankful that not even Madam Pince is here.

I could scarcely believe that she hadn't padlocked the door when she left.

The lights are barely on, so I'm going by wandlight.

Let me tell you, dares like this are never easy.

But at least I'm alone, and that it my only comfort at the time.

* * *

I must look like a complete dork right now.

Reading in complete darkness, only by wandlight can I actually study.

I'm trying out a new spell, self-invented, as I have mastered mostly all of them in existence.

The light spell can be any color, and right now I'm testing red.

Red, because your eyes adjust quickly from red to black to sunlight.

Remember how I said I looked like a dork?

Yeah, forget about that and look behind me, a little down there.

Now _there's _an idiot.

Draco Malfoy is walking through the library, and guess what he is dressed as?

Frankenstein's Bride.

Not even the monster, but his _wife_.

I am not even sure how I can recognize him, but I do.

I think it's the color and shape of his eyes, the fierceness and constant annoyance.

Or maybe it's the blond hair peeking out from the big, black and white wig.

Probably that.

I didn't really expect him to see me, for some reason.

So I jump when he turns his head towards me and gives me a curt nod.

He doesn't approach me, I probably would have told him to go away.

Rather, I start to follow him.

* * *

I first acknowledged her presence when she speaks to me.

Hermione Granger speaks to me, in a rather curious tone, if I say so myself.

"Why aren't you in the great hall?"

And all I can manage to say is, "Huh?"

Like, again, a total and complete idiot.

Just like my costume. And muggles do this for _fun_?

No wonder we purebloods hate them so much.

"Well, assuming this is a dare, shouldn't you be showing off your new get-up?"

Merlin, how does she know this much already?

Perhaps she has been trained in the ancient art of occlumency.

"No, because I am not a- well, maybe I _look _like an idiot. But I'm not one."

I am quick to assure her of this, of course.

No use letting her think it's true, no matter how I look.

"If you were a girl, you'd look half-way decent."

"Like I need your opinion," I sneer.

"No one else to judge, so I might as well."

* * *

I am still holding my red-lit wand, and Draco finally notices this.

"What's up with the light? Spell gone horribly wrong?"

Like that would ever happen to _me_.

I am quick to defend my level of genius.

"Spell gone perfectly right, invented by yours truly."

"Since when were you ever mine?" he retorts.

If he would just shut up at times, he might actually be bearable.

Too bad that it's impossible for him.

Even now, of course.

After a moment of silence and walking, he continues.

"Why did you invent it? What's the point?"

I explain to him my eye-adjusting theory.

"Interesting," he comments, nothing more.

Quick to insult, slow to compliment.

How simply _not _annoying.

"Are you scared of me?" he asks curiously.

I ponder this for a while before answering his strange question.

* * *

"I'm not scared," Hermione tells me.

Correction: She is not scared of my costume.

However, she is slightly frightened of me, how it's dark.

How our arms brush every few moments.

How we're completely and utterly by ourselves. Alone.

I turn a corner, as we have reached a wall.

I'm nearly finished with my too-long trek around the library.

"You're lying," I inform her with a small smile.

Don't ask me how I know.

"I am not-" she starts to say, but I continue my short speech.

"You're afraid of me. This darkness. How we're alone."

That's all I say.

Told you it was a short speech.

I can already hear her protests, see the annoyance she is holding back.

I take her hand in mine just as we arrive at the library's main entrance.

The doors are wide open, and there is Blaise, standing there.

His shocked expression and wide eyes staring at us almost makes me laugh.

He is scared, and I suppose we must look a bit scary to the average witch or wizard.

As a Slytherin, I like the look on his face. Anyone would.

Besides, if I am correct, isn't fear the whole point of Halloween?


End file.
